Differential expression of alpha2-7, alpha9 and beta2-4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit mRNA in the vestibular end-organs and Scarpa's ganglia of the rat.
To further characterize the pattern of expression of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits in the peripheral vestibular system, we conducted RT-PCR of all known mammalian nAChR alpha and beta subunits in mRNA extracted from adult rat vestibular primary afferent neurons (Scarpa's ganglia) and vestibular end-organs. Transcripts encoding the alpha2-7 and beta2-4 nAChR subunits were found in the vestibular ganglia, while alpha3, alpha5-7, alpha9 and beta2-4 nAChR subunits were expressed in the vestibular end-organs. These results support previous electrophysiological, immunocytochemical and molecular biological data, and also provide a more complete understanding of the role of nAChRs in the neurochemical transmission subserving the efferent-afferent interaction in the vestibular periphery.
Anderson
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AD
Department of Otolaryngology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
Troyanovskaya
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Wackym
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PA
D000818:Animals; D017931:DNA Primers; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D018069:Hair Cells, Vestibular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D009476:Neurons, Efferent / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics*; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic